


Every Answer has a Question

by flibbertygigget



Category: DC Animated Universe, DCU (Animated), Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Backstory, First Meetings, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, Not Canon Compliant, References to Gang Violence, Teenage Question, runaways - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-27
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-15 10:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3443927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flibbertygigget/pseuds/flibbertygigget
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles "Question" Szasz has one mission: get as much information as he can on the vigilante called "Batman."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Answer has a Question

Every Answer has a Question

The rumors were getting wilder every day, of that Charles "Question" Szasz was certain. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be much in the accounts that he could depend on. Still, Rory the Biter was counting on him, and Charles would do anything to become a full member of one of the most powerful gangs in Gotham. For a 15-year-old street kid, the protection that a gang offered could be the difference between life and death.

Charles had been only nine when he had run away from the orphanage. The Hub had been too dangerous for even him, so he had stolen a wallet and used the money to ride to Gotham. For a while he had been just another kid on the street, but then he had been found and claimed by Rory. They had only operated on the south side then. At first Charles did the usual things that the younger ones did for gangs- picked pockets, baited muggings, etc. But then Rory had discovered his talent for finding and piecing together seemingly unconnected bits of information. That had begun Charles' ascent as "Question," the most successful legman in Gotham. Rory's gang had steadily expanded since then, in numbers and in influence, and now Charles was one piece away from becoming a member of the gang a full five years early. All he had to do was get as much information as possible on the vigilante calling himself Batman.

The door to the tiny apartment that he called home slammed, and Charles jumped up. He relaxed when he saw that it was just Rory the Biter. Rory was a tall man, built like a wrestler, and known both for the event that had given him his nickname and his tenancy to take drifting kinds under his wing. Charles knew that Rory himself had been a street kid once, and had a soft spot for the children who had nowhere else to turn. It was one of the reasons Charles stayed with the Biter's gang.

"Got anything yet, Question?" Rory said. Charles grunted.

"It would be easier if I had more than superstitious rumors to work off of," he said. "the way some talk of him, you'd think that he was another Superman." Rory froze.

"You think he's a meta?" he said.

Charles shrugged. "Honestly? I'd say no. Everything he's done could be done by a martial artist of considerable skill. Batman might just be some nut who gets his kicks dressing up in a Halloween costume and beating up punks."

"Do you have a plan?" Charles sighed. One of Rory's many faults was that he was a bit of a hothead. Charles had lost count of the number of times he had had to keep him from ruining everything in a fit of temper.

"I need more info," Charles said.

"And how are you going to get that?" Charles smiled. 

"Gravy gave me some good info. A couple of nights ago Batman pumped him. Apparently the guy was wanting to know about the next gun shipments."

"That's Mafia business," Rory said. "I'm not getting us involved in that, no matter what they say they'll pay."

"We don't have to get involved," Charles said. He laid out the specifics of his plan, and Rory gave him a large grin and clapped him on the shoulder.

"If your plan works, there'll be more than full membership in it for you." 

"It'll work," Charles assured him. He didn't know how wrong he was.

* * *

 

The first part of the plan worked perfectly. As Batman attacked the men at the C Dock, Charles snuck around the corner and found the black car the vigilante was rumored to drive. It must have been worth a fortune, and Charles wanted desperately to take it for a spin, but he stuck to the plan and instead picked the door and clambered into the truck. There was a small space under the back seats, just large enough for a skinny teen to fit into. All that was left to do was wait.

It didn't take long for the door to open and the car to start. From there all there was to do was to wait until they arrived at their destination. Charles drifted off as he lay on the floor, but he was woken up when the car stopped suddenly. The door opened and closed again.

"How fared the gun dealers, Master Bruce?" said a British voice. Bruce, thought Charles, filing away the name with the rest of the info he had acquired just from being in the car.

"Badly," said another, deeper voice. Batman. Bruce. Charles felt a thrill of fear. "I thought I told you not to wait up, Alfred." Another name. Charles smiled at how easy they were making it.

"That may be, sir, but I thought you would need supper- or breakfast, as the case may be." There was a short pause.

"Later. I need to sleep first. I have a meeting at 11 I can't miss."

"Very well, Master Bruce." The Brit sounded disappointed. Two pairs of footsteps gradually faded away, and Charles breathed out a sigh of relief. Despite his confidence in front of Rory, he had been worried about that stage of the plan. What if Batman had needed something from the trunk and opened it? But now they were gone.

Charles smiled gleefully as he clambered out of the trunk and stretched, looking around curiously. He was in a dimly lit cavern. A road led away into the darkness to the exit. Across one wall were some of the largest screens Charles had ever seen. A desk was shoved under them, with papers and a keyboard on it.

Charles walked over to the computer. His first order of business was the files. He stuck a disk into the disk drive and set the computer to copying all the files onto it. He wasn't too worried about not having enough room for everything, but he also had a backup, just in case. Then Charles took a camera from his hoodie's pocket and set about photographing all the papers that were scattered across the desk, whistling Backstreet Boys songs as he did so. As he slipped the camera back into his pocket, Charles felt the pressure of watchful eyes on the back of his neck. He turned around slowly, but there was no one there.

"Ah, I'm just being paranoid," he muttered.

"Think again." Every muscle in Charles' body tensed as Batman appeared out of the shadows. "Now, who are you?" said the vigilante. Charles forced himself to relax and affect a cocky grin.

"I'm called Question," he said. "And you?"

"Judging by the pictures you took and the files you downloaded, you already know who I am."

"Yep. You're Batman, right?" Charles' mind raced. He had to stall for time while to files got onto the disk, not to mention get out of the cave with his info and self intact.

"Correct," said the costumed man. Charles' mind searched desperately for a way to keep Batman talking.

"How'd you figure out I was back there, anyways?" he said. Batman smiled slightly, and Charles shivered.

"You talk in your sleep," said Batman. Charles blushed.

"That's cheating," he said. "Shame. For a moment I thought the rumors about you were true."

"And what rumors would those be?" Charles opened his mouth to answer, but he was interrupted by the soft ding of the computer as it completed the download. Both men's attention instantly focused on the machine.

"Well, it's been fun talking to you," Charles said, slowly backing towards the computer. "I'm just going to take this and leave now-" Batman swooped forward faster than Charles would have thought possible and pinned the teenager up against one of the screens.

"You can leave," the Bat said, "but not before I get that information you stole from me."

"Sorry, Bats, no can do," Charles said. "I need that info." Batman's jaw clenched, and Charles braced himself for whatever painful thing was coming. He had been beaten over information before, but if the rumors were true Batman was especially strong. What Charles did not expect was to be flipped over Batman's shoulder. Charles hit the ground hard. He scrambled up and stared at the vigilante.

"Leave. Now." Charles didn't need to be told twice. He raced out of the cave into the cool night air. For a moment he stopped, breathing hard.

"Well, at least I still have the photos," he muttered to himself. A quick search of his pockets revealed that he didn't. "Damn it!"


End file.
